# 
# patch "app_state.cc"
#  from [598fd531fee72a84b3ad3f5f7eef8cf6eb541168]
#    to [b6383c2c304c62ce0a3d3c1fecac4b6e8edc21d6]
# 
# patch "commands.cc"
#  from [e9920aa8d91f2dbe0fe7a677def45fa83e8aa00a]
#    to [8b0ec1d6852697ee860ef82d55d1aec076c7a242]
# 
# patch "lua.cc"
#  from [245b97fe4ab5bfa555f8cb82c54404981c95faaf]
#    to [37f91418b85e4c296e2da82d45f4eaa7c6513aed]
# 
# patch "lua.hh"
#  from [32c57c4c2a21985b7b3148506ca0180a8b06e391]
#    to [7e62c232b0a1e71e509ac1834170507bd776507f]
# 
# patch "monotone.texi"
#  from [6606e344451eff69396d1710d8c726214ff252cb]
#    to [12a872e8e50355bc882f8eccab9d24f5396d5e14]
# 
# patch "std_hooks.lua"
#  from [5492f69f2f273ec537f363a38de99184925cd681]
#    to [022238db5fafa515485cff486f746236f3e32753]
# 
# patch "work.cc"
#  from [a4dff9f496fb4771119f83c4ce18252641fd53ff]
#    to [b99ce81d03b2405b4bb8f010e1d6d21241fe9859]
# 
# patch "work.hh"
#  from [a386a87e99ce6e9750d192be7e29a9cbae9e4d52]
#    to [d4035d9978ebe64c62b94e35307a77c5e21a8a02]
# 
--- app_state.cc
+++ app_state.cc
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@
 
   write_options();
 
+  blank_user_log();
+
   load_rcfiles();
 }
 
--- commands.cc
+++ commands.cc
@@ -651,20 +651,23 @@
   return tmp;
 }
 
+std::string const user_log_file_name("MT/log");
+
 static void 
 get_log_message(revision_set const & cs, 
                 app_state & app,
                 string & log_message)
 {
   string commentary;
-  data summary;
+  data summary, user_log_message;
   write_revision_set(cs, summary);
+  read_user_log(user_log_message);
   commentary += "----------------------------------------------------------------------\n";
   commentary += "Enter Log.  Lines beginning with `MT:' are removed automatically\n";
   commentary += "\n";
   commentary += summary();
   commentary += "----------------------------------------------------------------------\n";
-  N(app.lua.hook_edit_comment(commentary, log_message),
+  N(app.lua.hook_edit_comment(commentary, user_log_message(), log_message),
     F("edit of log message failed"));
 }
 
@@ -1359,7 +1362,7 @@
   if (args.size() == 2)
     comment = idx(args, 1)();
   else
-    N(app.lua.hook_edit_comment("", comment), 
+    N(app.lua.hook_edit_comment("", "", comment), 
       F("edit comment failed"));
   
   N(comment.find_first_not_of(" \r\t\n") != string::npos, 
@@ -2477,7 +2480,9 @@
   put_path_rearrangement(excluded_work);
   put_revision_id(rid);
   P(F("committed revision %s\n") % rid);
-
+  
+  blank_user_log();
+  
   update_any_attrs(app);
 
   {
--- lua.cc
+++ lua.cc
@@ -625,14 +625,16 @@
 }
 
 bool 
-lua_hooks::hook_edit_comment(string const & commentary, 
+lua_hooks::hook_edit_comment(string const & commentary,
+                             string const & user_log_message,
                              string & result)
 {
   return Lua(st)
     .push_str("edit_comment")
     .get_fn()
     .push_str(commentary)
-    .call(1,1)
+    .push_str(user_log_message)
+    .call(2,1)
     .extract_str(result)
     .ok();
 }
--- lua.hh
+++ lua.hh
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@
                                    base64< arc4<rsa_priv_key> > & priv_key );
   bool hook_get_passphrase(rsa_keypair_id const & k, std::string & phrase);
   bool hook_get_author(cert_value const & branchname, std::string & author);
-  bool hook_edit_comment(std::string const & commentary, std::string & result);  
+  bool hook_edit_comment(std::string const & commentary,
+                         std::string const & user_log_message,
+                         std::string & result);  
   bool hook_persist_phrase_ok();
   bool hook_non_blocking_rng_ok();
   bool hook_get_revision_cert_trust(std::set<rsa_keypair_id> const & signers,
--- monotone.texi
+++ monotone.texi
@@ -2470,7 +2470,12 @@
 after checking out a particular working copy.
 @item MT/work
 Contains a list of additions, deletions, and renames which have occurred
-in the current working copy, relative to the base version. 
+in the current working copy, relative to the base version.
address@hidden MT/log
+Contains log messages to append to the ``changelog'' cert upon
+commit. The user may add content to this file while they work.  Upon a
+successful commit monotone will empty the file making it ready for the
+next edit/commit cycle.
 @end table
 
 
@@ -3191,6 +3196,14 @@
 copy.  Specifying only the pathname "." will restrict @command{commit}
 to files changed within the current subdirectory of the working copy.
 
+The @file{MT/log} file can be edited by the user during their daily work
+to record the changes made to the working copy. When running the
address@hidden command without a @var{logmsg} supplied, the contents
+of the @file{MT/log} file will be read and passed to the Lua hook
address@hidden as a second parameter named @var{user_log_content}.
+If the commit is successful, the @file{MT/log} file is cleared of
+all content making it ready for another edit/commit cycle.
+
 The @command{commit} command also synthesizes a number of
 certificates, which it attaches to the new manifest version and copies
 into your database:
@@ -3207,9 +3220,9 @@
 A @code{changelog} cert, containing the ``log message'' for these
 changes.  If you provided @var{logmsg} on the command line, this text
 will be used, otherwise @command{commit} will run the Lua hook
address@hidden (@var{commentary})}, which typically invokes an
-external editor program, in which you can compose a log message for
-the change.
address@hidden (@var{commentary}, @var{user_log_content})}, which
+typically invokes an external editor program, in which you can compose
+and/or review your log message for the change.
 @end itemize
 
 
--- std_hooks.lua
+++ std_hooks.lua
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 end
 
 
-function edit_comment(basetext)
+function edit_comment(basetext, user_log_message)
    local exe = "vi"
    local visual = os.getenv("VISUAL")
    if (visual ~= nil) then exe = visual end
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@
    if (tmp == nil) then return nil end
    basetext = "MT: " .. string.gsub(basetext, "\n", "\nMT: ") .. "\n"
    tmp:write(basetext)
+   tmp:write(user_log_message)
    io.close(tmp)
 
    if (execute(exe, tname) ~= 0) then
--- work.cc
+++ work.cc
@@ -174,6 +174,38 @@
     paths.insert(manifest_entry_path(i));
 }
 
+// user log file
+
+string const user_log_file_name("log");
+
+void
+get_user_log_path(local_path & ul_path)
+{
+  ul_path = (mkpath(book_keeping_dir) / mkpath(user_log_file_name)).string();
+  L(F("user log path is %s\n") % ul_path);
+}
+
+void
+read_user_log(data & dat)
+{
+  local_path ul_path;
+  get_user_log_path(ul_path);
+
+  if (file_exists(ul_path))
+    {
+      read_data(ul_path, dat);
+    }
+}
+
+void
+blank_user_log()
+{
+  data empty;
+  local_path ul_path;
+  get_user_log_path(ul_path);
+  write_data(ul_path, empty);
+}
+
 // options map file
 
 string const options_file_name("options");
--- work.hh
+++ work.hh
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
 // MT/revision       -- contains the id of the checked out revision
 // MT/work           -- (optional) a set of added, deleted or moved pathnames
 //                      this file is, syntactically, a path_rearrangement
-// MT/options        -- the database, branch and key options currently in use 
+// MT/options        -- the database, branch and key options currently in use
+// MT/log            -- user edited log file
 //
 // as work proceeds, the files in the working directory either change their
 // sha1 fingerprints from those listed in the revision's manifest, or else are
@@ -65,6 +66,18 @@
              change_set::path_rearrangement & pr);
 
 
+// the "user log" is a file the user can edit as they program to record
+// changes they make to their source code. Upon commit the file is read
+// and passed to the edit_comment lua hook. If the commit is a success,
+// the user log is then blanked. If the commit does not succeed, no
+// change is made to the user log file.
+
+void get_user_log_path(local_path & ul_path);
+
+void read_user_log(data & dat);
+
+void blank_user_log();
+
 // the "options map" is another administrative file, stored in
 // MT/options. it keeps a list of name/value pairs which are considered
 // "persistent options", associated with a particular the working copy and